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Letters Oct. 15, 2010

Recently, certain elements of our local media have tagged the Klahowya Secondary School football coaching staff as being plagued with confusion and dissension. I do not claim to be an expert concerning the trials and tribulations of Eagle football. I will only speak to that which I know, for to speculate leads one down a pathway to inaccuracy.

I have known, since their teen years and kept in close contact with, three of Klahowya’s current varsity coaches. They are all fine football minds who work very well together and have had numerous successes beyond the high school level. They are masters of the game.

All are admirable men who have chosen to dedicate their lives to helping young men mature and develop character by playing a very physical and difficult team game. None yearn for success more than these three.

I wonder why men who have proven to be excellent coaches like Jeff Weibel, Brad Hamblet, Lyle Prouse, Mike Edde and Les Archer can’t create an enduring culture of football success at Klahowya?

Does the problem reside elsewhere?

But then what do I know?

Lane C. Dowell

Bremerton

Holding government accountable

Employees must be supervised by “We the people”

The second sentence of the first letter you published in your Oct. 8 edition read: “We as citizens must absolutely and unquestioningly support our law enforcement officials and prosecutor.” That is a frightening statement. All of us should and must observe, oversee and, when circumstances warrant, question and challenge the actions of law enforcement, prosecutors and every elected official and civil servant.

Such challenges should follow legal and appropriate avenues, of course. If I see or hear of questionable (or potentially so) behavior on the part of public employees or elected officials I would not challenge the person, I would raise the issue with that person’s supervisor. I would ask for and expect to receive facts and explanations. If the response to my concern was not satisfactory, I would go up the chain. Everyone who gets a paycheck from “we the people” is our employee, and every one of our employees has a boss.

If that boss didn’t respond or provided unacceptable answers, I would contact the media, get public opinion involved and do my best to hold that boss accountable for doing his or her job. Holding our employees accountable for their actions is perhaps our most important duty and civic responsibility. I hope everyone who reads this letter holds a similar belief.

Further into his letter, the writer began questioning (very carefully and gently, to be sure) decisions made by the Kitsap County prosecutor. Despite his scary statement, it appears that he wants clarification regarding some decisions made in the prosecutor’s office. That’s as it should be. I don’t care about the issue discussed in the letter, but that issue has caused a citizen to ask the prosecutor some questions. Questions from ones’ employer always deserve an answer.

I hope that others didn’t read the first part of the letter and find something to agree with!

Bruce Gunderson

Silverdale

Election 2010

Vote Brown

Since moving to Kitsap County in 1994, I have been very impressed with the quality of the majority of individuals elected to public office in this county. We are very lucky and cannot let this slip away Nov. 2.

During this time of economic stress, more than ever we need the best and brightest. Our county commissioners are very essential in managing our resources. The three positions require people with integrity, knowledge and experience. It is very important that we keep Josh Brown as county commissioner. Josh is the senior member of the board. He is a Kitsap native who came back home after earning a degree in interdisciplinary studies and a minor in city and regional planning at the University of California and working five years as a real estate broker, Since returning to Kitsap County he has dedicated himself to serving as county commissioner.

The commissioners oversee a $300 million budget, 1,200 employees plus the departments of Public Works, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Personnel and Human Services. These duties plus serving our local and regional councils requires the dedication and experience of our present commissioner, Josh Brown. Invest in our future and vote for Josh.

Jan Williams

Bremerton

Olsen and wife respond

Marijane Milton of Bainbridge, a confederate of the incumbent state Rep. Christine Ms. Rolfes, continues a shameful tag-team politics of personal destruction unleashed against me in this paper (Oct. 8). The claims Milton makes are wild-eyed and could only come from a very wounded Bainbridge artistic progressive. Also, editor Andrew Binion apparently did not bother to do the most rudimentary fact-check of this hit piece he ran last week. Shame, shame.

A few thoughts for Milton: Schools must educate, not indoctrinate. You flatter me that this “Army of One” fiscal conservative has all the liberals of Bainbridge held hostage. That’s a good one for the record books and probably brought cheers from many non-Bainbridge readers. The fact is my character is sterling and conservative. I served my country for 30 years in the military with distinction, served my neighborhood proudly, my church faithfully and my wonderful family. I have also championed open government and bird-dogged waste, fraud and abuse in our local government on Bainbridge clearly upsetting the elite. Perhaps the pending bankruptcy of Bainbridge Island has axed one of Ms. Milton’s “sacred” art cows. Ask her.

The good voters know how to gauge personal character and performance and it certainly is not to listen to a political assassin cite anonymous musings on an anonymous website. I have visited thousands of voters in Poulsbo, Silverdale, Bremerton and Kingston and have spoken at every forum and public event. You can read my State Voter’s Guide and other voter guides and watch me debate ideas on BKAT, BITV and the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce website. My website has ten campaign videos outlining my strengths and failings of my opponent (www.VoteOlsen23.com). You be your own judge and leave Ms. Milton to figure out her own ballot.

All political slanders are an attempt to change the subject. Ms. Milton listen carefully: Washington state is in a dire and dangerous fiscal crisis. To solve our problems we need streamlining of our government, privatization of elements and private-sector jobs. Truth be told, my Democratic opponent Ms. Rolfes is a middling career politician who does pleasant band-aid solutions, tax increases ($1 billion in 2010) and protection of her campaign-contributors interests (public-sector unions, tribal interest, lawyers, WEA). I am independently funded by small donations and I don’t bow down to Bainbridge elite group-think or special interests. I will listen to all of you, not just the Bainbridge 500 and I will work for a truly sustainable Washington economy rather than Rolfes agenda of more taxes and more government waste, fraud and abuse.

I call on you fine citizens to ask yourself what grade you would assign Ms. Rolfes and her party. If the grade is failing, send her home. I have the leadership, drive and tenacity to bring about positive changes to Washington’s Olympia problems. I ask for your vote.

James M. Olsen

Bainbridge Island

Unprovoked attack unfair

This is a reply to an unprovoked a attack letter published in your paper by Mary Jane Milton from Bainbridge Island, a friend of Democrat Christine Rolfes.

As most of Kitsap County knows full well, Bainbridge Island is no place to live if you dare dissent from tribal truths. Years ago, I personally made a simple curriculum challenge to a five-week social studies program for middle school students. In this, I was joined by numerous members of the public, and also my husband James Olsen who is now running for elected office against Rolfes.

I appreciate the members of the community from all over Kitsap County who supported our efforts and who spoke before the Bainbridge Island School Board. I am also thankful that the five-week program was eventually dropped by the district.

Most of all, I appreciate my husband’s support and his continuing efforts in the years following to stand up - especially here where it is difficult - for what is right, just, and (fiscally) conservative. He will perform an admirable job in Olympia if elected. Please carefully consider your vote.

Mary Victoria Dombrowski

Bainbridge Island

Vote Olsen

We thought our fellow Kitsap citizens would like to know why we’re voting for James Olsen for state representative.

Folks, we’re in a severe economic recession/depression. Without a strong economy, our social programs will have to be compromised. A recession is never the time to raise taxes and increase regulation.

James Olsen understands the steps that need to be taken to improve our State’s economy. We need a representative who has the courage to stand up to special interest groups and legislate what is best for all Washingtonians.

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